World's Best Scotch Whisky: 6 Award-Winning Whiskies At ASCOT Awards 2026 — Ardbeg 10, Chivas Regal 12 And More

Building a great whisky collection is easier when experts have already done the hard work. The ASCOT Awards 2026 have recognised six standout Scotch whiskies with their highest honour, Double Platinum. Selected through blind tastings by seasoned judges, these bottles range from exceptional value picks to once-in-a-lifetime luxury pours. Here's what makes each whisky worth your attention, along with its approximate price in India. In this list of the world's best whisky, we reveal 6 top names. So, check out these award-winning whiskies at ASCOT Awards 2026, ranging from Ardbeg 10, Chivas Regal 12, Glenmorangie to Scapa 16 Year Old.

A'bunadh means ‘the original’ in Gaelic, and this cask strength single malt whisky lives up to the name. It's aged entirely in first fill Spanish Oloroso sherry casks, meaning the wood pulls maximum color and flavor straight into the whisky. Expect dark chocolate, dried fruit, orange peel and warming spice, with enough punch that a splash of water is welcome, not cheating. One ASCOT judge reportedly called it their new favourite dram of the whole tasting.

• Aberlour A'bunadh Price: Approx ₹7,500

• ABV: 60.9%

Made on the smoky island of Islay, Ardbeg 10 Year Old is peat done right. The barley is heavily smoked before distilling, then rests at least ten years in old bourbon barrels. What comes out is smoke layered with citrus, black pepper and sea salt, finishing long on espresso and toasted almonds. The distillery nearly shut down for good before Glenmorangie's parent company revived it in 1997, and it now has a fan club with over 200,000 members worldwide.

• Ardbeg 10 Year Old Price: Approx ₹4,600

• ABV: 46%

Chivas Regal 12 Year Old is proof that great whisky doesn't need a big price tag. This blend combines malt and grain whiskies aged at least twelve years, built around Strathisla single malt, and it's soft, honeyed and easy to drink, with orchard fruit, vanilla and a hint of hazelnut. It medaled against bottles many times its price, which tells you everything..

• Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Price: Approx ₹2,500

• ABV: 40%

The Chivas Regal 18 Year Old steps things up considerably. Master blender Colin Scott created it by marrying more than twenty whiskies, each aged eighteen years or more, selected from thousands of casks. Dried fruit and buttery toffee lead into dark chocolate and a faint wisp of smoke. It's built for slow sipping, not shots.

• Chivas Regal 18 Year Old Price: Approx ₹5,800

• ABV: 40%

Glenmorangie The Altus 25 Years Old

The splurge of the list. Glenmorangie The Altus 25 Years Old is distilled using the tallest stills in Scotland, nearly five metres high, which gives the spirit an unusually light, floral character. It spends 25 years maturing, finished partly in Madeira casks, a nod to Glenmorangie's original 1995 breakthrough with that style. The nose brings honeysuckle and orange blossom, the palate mandarin, marzipan and banana. One judge simply called the finish stunning.

• Glenmorangie Price: Approx ₹54,000

• ABV: 43%

Scapa 16 Year Old

Scapa is one of only two distilleries on Orkney, a cluster of islands off Scotland's northern tip, and unlike its smoky neighbour Highland Park, it uses almost no peat at all. Aged 16 years in old bourbon casks, it's soft and fruity, with ripe mango, vanilla fudge and baked pineapple, closing on a finish one taster compared to ribbon candy.

• Scapa 16 Year Old Price: Approx ₹7,200

• ABV: 48%

What ties these six whiskies, from Ardbeg 10, Chivas Regal 12, Glenmorangie to Scapa 16, together isn't price or style, it's that each one earned its medal blind, on taste alone. Whether you're after an everyday pour or a bottle worth saving for, this 2026 list proves good Scotch whisky really does come in every shape.